Have you ever looked in your refrigerator to see if there's a burrito hiding in there? I mean, the thing is, if you have a few pantry items, some leftovers, and big 'ol flour tortillas, you probably have a burrito on hand. And if you have a panini press, you have a pressed burrito which is my favorite because they are warmer and hold together better with a crisp outer crust and ... well, they are my favorite!
So while this is technically a recipe, it's more of a guide. Look in your refrigerator and see what you have. Leftover fried rice? Use it and lose the extra seasonings for the rice! A lonely pork chop? Cut it into little pieces and toss it in a frying pan with diced onion and pepper! Need some more heat? Add sriracha or diced jalapeño pepper! You get the idea.
I like to have fresh fruit and some kind of salad with a dish like this. The specifics, like the contents of the burrito itself, aren't as important as keeping this quick and simple. As such, these burritos are my go-to for a quick weekday meal. Let me know what you tuck into yours!
Pressed Pork Burritos
- 1-2 c. cooked, shredded pork - any version/leftovers will do, but I love this one
- 1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
- 2-3 c. cooked rice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. lime juice
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 avocado - pitted, peeled, and diced
- 3 burrito size flour tortillas
Warm the pork. I like to fry it in small batches until crispy to give the burritos extra texture, but you can choose whichever method works best for you. Once the meat is warmed, warm the beans in similar fashion. Keep both warm while you prepare everything else.
Add the rice to a warm pan (or continue with the additions if you are making the rice fresh) along with the garlic, lime juice, cumin, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, ground ginger, black pepper, and salt. Stir well to incorporate and heat through.
Dice the avocado just before assembling the burritos and heat a panini press to high heat.
To assemble the burritos, spoon about ⅔ cup of the warm pork, ½ cup of beans, ¾ cup of the seasoned rice, and ¼ cup of the diced avocado into the center of the flour tortilla. Fold in two sides then roll the burrito. Repeat to make 3-4 burritos, depending on how much filling you have.
Place the burritos in the panini press and gently close. Cook for 4-6 minutes or until the flour tortillas are lightly browned. Remove from the press, slice in half, and serve.
- Yields: 3-4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes